Results 7,401-7,420 of 9,994 for speaker:John Gormley

Written Answers — Local Government Reform: Local Government Reform (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: The Programme for Government contains a commitment to publish a Green Paper on Local Government Reform by the end of the year. This Paper will examine a number of issues in relation to the organisation of Irish local government including the establishment of new town councils. A White Paper on Local Government Reform will then follow next year. I will give consideration to those parts of the...

Written Answers — Architectural Heritage: Architectural Heritage (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: Restoration works, representing an investment of some €2m, have been carried out to date at Maynooth Castle. They have involved a programme of conservation and adaptation works to the ground floor, the provision of access to the first floor and the provision of an exhibition and reception point. This has facilitated visitor access and provided a guide service. The site is now open to the...

Written Answers — Sport and Recreational Development: Sport and Recreational Development (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: An initiative for the provision of skateboard facilities by local authorities was introduced in 2005. Each City and County Council was invited to submit expressions of interest for grant assistance towards the provision of a skateboard park in its area. Applications were assessed in my Department in conjunction with the National Children's Office and some 21 projects in 21 different local...

Written Answers — Planning Issues: Planning Issues (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: Section 35 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides that planning authorities may apply to the High Court for authorisation to refuse to grant planning permission to a developer who has substantially failed to comply with the conditions of a previous permission. This power was significantly strengthened in the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Act 2006, which...

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: It is not a joke. That is a reality check for the Opposition parties. It is the reason the Green Party is in Government. The Green Party also believes that public life should have the highest ethical standards. We are not the moral custodians of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael or the Labour Party. We look after ourselves. Unlike other parties, including the Opposition parties, we do not accept...

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on the motion.

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: The Green Party will support the motion and will express full confidence in the work of the tribunal. When the Green Party made the decision to enter Government last June, its members knew a process was in train and that the Taoiseach was due to give evidence to the Mahon tribunal. It has been our consistent line that we will await the outcome of that tribunal. It is important that the...

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: Not a penny, unlike the Deputy. I will discuss that shortly. This Taoiseach has supported the Green Party on climate change. The new Cabinet committee has already met and I attended the UN heads of state meeting in New York at the Taoiseach's behest.

Confidence in Taoiseach: Motion (26 Sep 2007)

John Gormley: At that meeting, Mr. Al Gore told a small gathering that the latest scientific evidence indicates that the ice cap at the North Pole will be gone in 23 years if we do not stabilise our CO2 emissions. The members of the Opposition can laugh. They obviously believe that climate change is a joke.

Written Answers — Road Signage: Road Signage (5 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: Local authorities are responsible for the provision of road traffic signs on non-national roads. However, my Department introduced a 5 year Regional Road Signposting Programme in 2003 with the aim of upgrading directional signposts on all significant junctions on all regional roads in county council areas. In 2007, a sum of €7 million has been provided for this programme. Local...

Written Answers — Environmental Policy: Environmental Policy (5 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: My Department is maintaining close contact with Galway City and County Councils to assist in resolving the current water supply difficulties. The immediate priority is to augment the city's supply from the Tuam Regional Water Supply Scheme to allow the old Terryland Plant, the source of the cryptosporidium outbreak, to be decommissioned as soon as possible. My Department has also made...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (5 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: Kerry County Council's Preliminary Report for Stage 2 of the Castleisland Sewerage Scheme envisages the upgrading and extension of the sewer network to cater for existing unserviced development and future growth in the town environs for the next 25 years. Because of the scale of the provision for future development my Department requested the Council, in January 2007, to review, in...

Written Answers — Water Quality: Water Quality (5 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: I propose to take Questions Nos. 268, 273 and 274 together. European Court of Justice case C-282/02 concerns Ireland's implementation of Council Directive 76/464/EEC on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community (now Directive 2006/11/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council). One aspect of the judgment in that case was...

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (5 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: Article 12(2) of Directive 2002/96/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) requires Member States to transmit to the European Commission a report on the implementation of this Directive at three-year intervals within nine months of the end of each three year period covered by it. The first of these reports, which are to be based on...

Written Answers — Genetically Modified Organisms: Genetically Modified Organisms (5 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: The political decision on the item referred to in the question was taken at the Agriculture Council on 12 June 2007 following the conclusion of the Council debate on it. It relates to the labelling of organic food, which comes under the remit of the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Under EU procedures, all political decisions are subject to further legal and other processes...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (5 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: I expect to be in a position shortly to make regulations in accordance with the European Communities Act 2007 to provide for increased penalties under the European Communities (Good Agricultural Practice for Protection of Waters) Regulations 2006. The making of the regulations will facilitate the formal grant by the European Commission of a derogation to Ireland to allow farmers in...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (5 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: The Environmental Noise Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 140 of 2006) give effect in Ireland to EU Directive 2002/49/EC relating to the assessment and management of environmental noise. The Environmental Protection Agency is the national authority with overall responsibility for implementing the Regulations. Implementation at local level is a matter for local authorities concerned, Dublin Airport...

Written Answers — EU Directives: EU Directives (5 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: The letter of formal notice received from the European Commission concerns a number of technical issues regarding the transposition of the EU Landfill Directive. These matters have been given consideration by my Department and a response has issued setting out Ireland's current position. There has been no further correspondence from the Commission.

Written Answers — Ethics Register: Ethics Register (5 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: Under Part 15 of the Local Government Act 2001, each member of a local authority is required to make an annual written declaration of his or her interests to the authority's Ethics Registrar. Where the Ethics Registrar becomes aware of a possible contravention of any requirement of the local authority ethics framework, he or she is required to bring the matter to the attention of the...

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (5 Jul 2007)

John Gormley: The Burtonport, Gweedore (serving Bunbeg/ Derrybeg) and Laghey Sewerage Schemes are included for funding in my Department's Water Services Investment Programme 2005-07. Further information has been requested from Donegal County Council to enable my Department to consider the council's preliminary reports for the Burtonport and Gweedore schemes. My Department approved the Council's Preliminary...